Allentown, PA -- At its Thursday, September 24, 2026, School Board of Directors Meeting, the Allentown School District formally approved a $142,000 grant to continue proactive violence prevention programs, peer mentoring, and elementary athletics.
“As we move from vision to visible impact under our strategic plan, our commitment to supporting the whole child remains at the center of everything we do,” said Dr. Carol D. Birks, Superintendent & Chief Executive Officer, Allentown School District. The continued investment from the District Attorney’s Office allows us to proactively build systems of support that empower our scholars both academically and socially, and we are incredibly grateful for their continued support.”
“We are pleased to be able to distribute these funds to the Allentown School District with the overall goal of helping Lehigh County children find meaningful support from their peers to help them succeed in school as well as sports to enrich their lives,” said Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan. “These programs are recognized ways to reduce crime and delinquency and encourage academic success for participants. One of the goals of our office is to help prevent crime before it occurs by investing in community outreach programs like these in the Allentown School District.”
The funds allocated will support the successful expansion of pilot programs that began last year. During the 2025–2026 school year, the Peer Mentoring program engaged 450 students across key transition grade levels, and elementary athletics provided 585 students with opportunities to participate in competitive soccer and basketball.
Expansion plans for the 2026-2027 school year include:
- Sustaining the elementary athletics program, which includes high-impact tutoring sessions before practices
- Scaling our peer mentoring program to capture all students in transitional grades
These investments directly align with the District’s whole-child focus, as outlined in our Strategic Plan, Lighting the Way at Blueprint for Innovation and Excellence 2030. By providing consistent support across the district's elementary, middle, and high schools, these programs address the high-risk developmental period that often leads to academic disengagement, social anxiety, and behavioral infractions.
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